The Fine Line Between Good and Evil
by RapidReaderRachel
Summary: Read on, for a romantic story that explores what it means to truly be Good and Evil where characters may not fit the labels they were given at birth. A young girl travels to Swordhaven to fulfill her lifelong dream to become a Mage! Little did she know, her life would soon change as Chaos begins its reign over Lore. Leave a review for more!
1. (1) To Embark

" _Have you ever wondered whether you belong here or not?"_

" _Not particularly, why?"_

" _Well...it's just that...I'm too Evil to be Good, and you're too Good to be Evil. Where does that leave us?"_

" _I don't think it matters that much."_

" _It matters all too much! Think about a world where heroes can be Evil OR Good!"_

" _Now that sounds like a chaotic and a messed up world to me."_

" _Better chaotic and messed up than not knowing where you belong."_

" _...I know perfectly where you belong."_

" _And where may that be?"_

" _In my arms, of course."_

oO0Oo

"Aria!" a voice called in the distance. "Hurry up!"

"Alright!" Aria shouted back. She shoved her two notebooks into a bag and slung it over her shoulder. Today was the day where she would finally become a mage! Or at least, start training to be one. It had been her life's dream; it was now coming true. The girl took one last glance around her room to check for possessions she would want to take.

 _Thump thump._

"Will ya hurry up?" said an extremely annoyed boy.

"I'm done, Brandon," Aria sighed. Her twin brother had a patience span as a rowdy Horc.

She opened her door and continued downstairs where her mother and grandmother were waiting. Brandon came down soon after. The boy had unnaturally white hair, despite his tender age of twelve. The color of his hair was due to an accident when he was a toddler. The grandma of the family was brewing up a potion, but Brandon swallowed it. The funny thing was, that potion was supposed to make dinner more appetizing. Ever since, the boy had a scent of strawberries in his hair.

Aria and Brandon were twins, but Aria was older by a few minutes. Like most siblings, they bickered endlessly.

"Mom, please cook us a Wereboar for lunch," requested Aria politely.

"Mom, I want to eat a Anglerfish!" injected Brandon, while glaring at his twin.

The fair haired mother sighed. "Since Aria asked so _politely,_ I'll cook Wereboar for your last lunch."

"Lily, give them a break," said their grandmother slyly. "Why don't we make Wereboar _and_ Anglerfish stew? Let's make them both happy."

The mother's gaze cleared as if someone had erased her frown. "You're right. They both deserve a treat today."

Then, the two women began to chop at the delicious meat. Aria looked in Brandon's direction, and found that he was dozing on the family couch.

No one was paying any attention to her, so she nimbly got up from her chair. She tiptoed to her bag near the door and opened one of her journals to the sixty-third page. Inside was this:

 _Dear_ _Family of Aria and Brandon Charles_ _,_

 _It has come to the attention that your family household has (a) child/children that are eligible for training to be one or more of these classes:_

 __ Rogue_

 __ Warrior_

 __X__ _Mage_

 __ Healer_

 _If your child/children are interested in becoming a hero, please fill in the space provided your desired class. If you have more than one child, please make a copy. All applicants across the Good Kingdoms will be accepted. School starts on the fourth of September._

 _Regards,_

 _Metrea, Thok, Arcana, and Juvania._

Aria felt the familiar pump of anticipation when she studied the words. Her finger brushed over Arcana's name. The famous mage was going to be her future trainer!

"Hey! Where did Aria go?" Brandon shouted, who had awoken. Thankfully, he was ignored.

"Hi again peepsqueak," Aria appeared again and ruffled her brother's strawberry-scented hair.

Brandon ducked and growled like the inner beast he was. His gaze traveled to Aria's hand, which was hidden behind her back. "You're re-reading your letter _again?"_ he snorted.

"Maybe," replied Aria. Delicious fumes filled the cottage; it smelt like...well, anglerfish and wereboar.

"It's done, children," the grandma said, while placing the meal on the four-person table. The arrival of the food broke the brewing bicker- fortunately.

At last, the family was seated and ready to eat. Brandon, of course, was the first one to dig in. The female diners shuddered as the boy dripped greasy sauce all over the wooden table.

"Brandon! Stop dripping sauce all over the table!" the mother scolded.

"I'll go get the rags," sighed the grandma. It was a routine now; however, what happened next was a surprise.

When the grandmother got up, her worn dress was caught on the table leg. As a result, the twins, mother, and grandmother's lunch (along with the tableware) ended up on the floor.

"Whoops," said the grandmother sheepishly.

oOoOoOo

In the end, the mess was cleared within the hour. By then, the twins were feeling quite ravenous and irritable. The mother had asked, after much consideration, Bal Gravestorm to share his lunch. He was the Marsh's unofficial protector and regent. The twins were not pleased with her decision because Bal was one of the people in the Marsh who sent shivers up their spine. His Necromancy powers were the best in the Marsh, and that terrified Aria and Brandon. The prospect of eating his lunch was not appealing. Not one little bit.

"Mom! Please, tell Mister Bal Gravestorm not to come. I'll cook something!" whined Brandon.

"Since when did you cook, Brandon? Just be pleased we have a supportive neighbor, young man!" growled his mother. The boy ducked his head in shame, but it popped right back up. He was the type of person who understood what he couldn't change, and accepted it.

Aria peeked out the house's broken-down windows. "He's here!" announced Aria in a frantic manner. She was worried what Bal Gravestorm cooked. Slimes? Marsh Lurkers?

"All this fuss about Gravestorm," muttered the grandmother.

As Brandon and Aria started fidgeting as if ants were crawling up their spine, the grandmother opened their door wide and exclaimed, "Oh Bal! Come in and thank you for your help!"

Gravestorm merely inclined his head in the grandmother's direction. "Carol, I can not turn down a chance to help my allies. You know that."

"Ah, yes I do. Please, Aria! Brandon! Greet Bal Gravestorm," ordered the grandmother.

Aria jumped up in obedience, "Welcome to the Carles household, Mister Gravestorm."

"Yeah, what my sister said," Brandon grumbled.

The visitor nodded and turned back to their grandmother. "Here, I hope Grizzly Bear is favourable?"

The twins sighed with relief. So Bal didn't bring them slimy monsters as they feared.

"Thank you mister!" Aria cried. She could scent the meat in the air.

"Yeah! Thanks tons," Brandon echoed. His eyes shone with ravenous hunger.

"It was a pleasure," replied Bal Gravestorm. "I only wish for the well being of the future heroes."

With those words, Aria's excitement grew. She was going to be a Mage! She just could not wait!

oO0Oo

"Now remember the rules?" asked the mother sternly. The family was outside now. The smog in the swamp was overpowering; however, the breeze had taken the humidity away. It was as if the Marsh was saying goodbye.

"Yes, we know the rules!" Brandon rolled his eyes. "First, no wasting our money on sweets. Second, no staying up late. Third, don't fight. Fourth, don't talk to strangers. And lastly, don't fight the monsters."

His mother smiled with relief. "Well, I guess you understand the rules. Get going!"

"Thanks Mom and Gran!" Aria skipped over to the women and grasped them in a tight hug. It was returned with greater force. Aria's eyes were starting to water, and she noticed everybody else's eyes were too.

After the last of the parting smiles and teary eyes, they were ready to go. And off they went, with the breeze pecking at their feet and the promise of adventure within their grasp.


	2. (2) An Unexpected Encounter

"Are we there yet?" Brandon groaned. They had been battling the murky swamps for the greater portion of the day. Their boots were muddy and their clothes were soaked. Needless to say, the twins were exhausted.

Aria squinted at her soggy map and eyed the compass. "The town _should_ around here, I mean we're walking the correct direction at least."

"Are you sure you're even using the compass correctly?" Brandon muttered darkly. He savagely pushed a hanging vine out of his path and stomped on the undergrowth.

Aria stopped in her tracks and swiveled her head to face her brother. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," Brandon sighed. "Can we stop for a bit?"

"Fine, but only for a little while," Aria relented. "It's getting dark."

The twins sat down by a nearby tree. The Marsh was a difficult place to trek, and they were anxious to see the light fade. In the distance, they heard Lurkers splashing in the swampy depths. The weary travellers left the monsters alone, and in return, the monsters gave them no trouble. Brandon massaged his sore calf.

"Hey Aria," he started.

"Hm?"

"Are you...nervous for school?" He said nonchalantly as if the question was trivial.

Aria pondered the question. It was the first time the twins had any sort of formal education. At home, their grandmother taught them how to read and write; it wasn't as if they needed to know much else. The only other social interaction they had with children their age was the occasional visit from travellers passing through. Yeah, she'd say she was very nervous for school.

Brandon stammered on. "I mean, it's only school. I'll probably make some friends and if they don't like me I'll make new ones or-"

"Brandon," Aria cut off. He met her intense eyes and saw nothing but seriousness. "No matter what happens, we have each other, right?"

Brandon flushed at the statement. "Of course, right. I uh just forgot about you...as a friend."

Aria laughed. "Oh wow, I'm so hurt!"

Suddenly, Brandon stiffened and his face froze. Aria failed to notice and chirped breezily,

"Oh wow look at the sky. We better get going."

As Aria reached for her backpack, Brandon roughly grabbed her arm. When she gave a surprised yelp, he cupped his hand around her mouth. Aria struggled to break free from Brandon's firm grip.

"What the hell are you-" Aria sputtered.

"Shhh," Brandon shushed tensely. "I hear something."

The twins held their breath and listened to the swamp ambiance. The Lurkers had long sunk under the surface for the night, and the swamp spirits danced on soggy logs.

 _Clop clop clop_

"Oh my god what is that?" Aria whimpered. The sounds were getting closer.

Brandon's face was as pale as his hair. He shifted his gaze towards a large stick a few yards away. He silently grabbed it, and pressed his face through the bushes next to a nearby tree. Through the darkness of the leaves, Brandon could make out a lone figure pacing back and forth. Aria looked fearfully at him with a bewildered look on her face.

 _Clop clop clop-_

"HIIIIIIYAHHHHH!" Brandon screamed as he leaped through the bushes and slashed the stick at the opposing figure. The figure jumped in shock but side-stepped Brandon's audacious attack. Brandon landed ungracefully on the ground with his breath knocked out of him.

"WOAH THERE KIDDO," the figure yelped. "What's your problem?"

Brandon blearily opened his eyes; as they focused, they registered a man with blonde hair and suited with shining armor. Brandon quickly scampered away and into Aria's worried arms.

"Who are you?" Brandon angrily demanded. The man grinned at the embarrassed look on Brandon's face.

"Well, I might ask you the same thing, Mr. Person-who-just-tried-to-kill-me," the man shook his head mirthfully.

"You have no right-" Brandon shouted, but was cut off by Aria.

"I am sincerely sorry about my brother's outburst," Aria threw a fierce look at her brother. "Our names are Brandon and Aria Charles. We're travellers trying to get to the next town, could you point us in the right direction?"

The man crossed his arms in mock sternness. "Well miss, I'm not sure if I can help you. Especially since your brother rudely decided to attack me for no apparent reason."

"You were clomping your shoes and scaring us!" Brandon shouted. Aria harshly elbowed her brother and he whimpered as he cupped his ribs.

"Sorry sir, we'll leave now," Aria apologized.

"Wait don't go," the man exclaimed, "I'm not even mad!"

"Brandon, get up tosser!" Aria hissed.

"Why do you need to get to the next town?"

"We're trying to get to Swordhaven," Aria answered with suspicion. She pulled Brandon up from the ground and started walking back to where their bags were. The man excitedly ran after them.

"Hey...are you two enrolled in Swordhaven's hero program?"

Brandon's head swirled around in shock. "Yeah! How did you know?"

"Because I graduated from the program!" the man said proudly. The twins stopped in their tracks and stared with awe. With a closer look, the twins found his armor to be of good quality and his study sword was at his side. They also noticed the royal crest engraved on the hero's chest plate.

The man continued to brag, "In fact, the eldest princess was so impressed by my skills that she requested me to be part of her personal escort." He added after a pause, "It was also probably because of my good looks."

"Wait..." Aria's eyes widened. "Does...that mean that you're part of the Royal Escort?"

The man grinned. "Paladin Julio DeGalarce, at your service!"

"No way," Brandon gasped. He had always dreamed of becoming a Paladin, and there now there was one right in front of him!

Julio quickly appraised the two in front of him. The girl was lanky and thin, but seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. The boy, on the other hand, seemed a bit slow but plenty fast when trying to hit fellow Paladins with a stick. He grinned happily, these kids brought back memories that were forgotten in the recesses of his mind. He was so deep in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear a man shout from a few yards away.

"Julio! What's taking you so damn long?" a man called. Aria and Brandon looked up at Julio with apprehension.

Julio laughed at the twins' expressions. "Don't worry kiddos, that guy is part of the escort too." With a louder voice he yelled back, "Gederick don't worry! Go back to camp before your shoes get wet!"

With that, Julio beckoned the twins to follow him. They hoisted their heavy bags on their backs and determinedly summoned any remaining resources of strength to walk. The three made their way through the swamp with Julio in the lead.

Brandon quickly caught up to Julio and questioned, "What was that all about?"

"Oh Gederick? Well, we were tasked to survey the area to catch any intruders that may harm the Princess," Julio answered.

"Sorry, I actually meant to ask you...why did you tell Gederick to go back to camp before his shoes got wet?" Brandon corrected himself.

Julio gave the boy a long look before looking over to Aria and asking, "Is he always like this?"

She chuckled and replied, "Always."


	3. (3) Call me Robina

"So let me get this straight...you nearly got mauled over by a twelve year old boy and decided that him and his sister were cute so you brought them over to our supposedly secret camp," Princess Victoria said deadpan. The other fellow Paladins laughed at Julio as his ears turned bright red.

"Erm, that's about right," Julio said sheepishly. He looked over at the twins and found them staring at the Princess with wonder. She stared back with a mirthful face. The twins found it surprising that she was wearing a dull green tunic opposed to royal garments.

"Well, I'll need to see some proof that you're who you say you are," Victoria said. "Do you have your acceptance letter by chance?"

Aria rummaged through her bag and pulled out two soggy envelopes. She tentatively handed it over to Victoria who was seemingly undaunted by the dirt and grim.

"Hey! That's where my letter went! You took it!" Brandon exclaimed with his finger pointing accusingly at Aria.

"Well, I was afraid you might lose it dimwit!" Aria huffed. She crossed her arms and took the chance to look around the camp. Julio and his Paladins were sitting around a campfire. They had caught some animals and were roasting them over the fire. Tents of varying sizes were settled along the outskirts of the camp; they billowed in the chilly wind. Aria shivered.

"Hey, are you cold?" Victoria asked with concern. Without waiting for an answer, the Princess tossed two fleece blankets at the twins. "Here, take these and go to Sir Gederick. He'll give you some food."

The twins nodded their thanks and shuffled over to the fire shyly. The Royal Escort seemed like seasoned warriors and needless to say, they were intimidating. Gederick gruffly gave them both a plate of a mysterious meat and a broth of warm soup. He shouted to Victoria, "Oi, are these two gonna stay with us for the way back?"

Victoria settled next to Brandon with their letters in hand. She said thoughtfully, "Their story seems solid and I don't see why not. It's not like these two are dangerous-"

Julio scoffed, "Madame, you should've seen that kid's Flying Stick Attack, it was frightening."

"-And we're going the same way anyway, and that's final," Victoria smiled.

"Thank you Princess Victoria!" Aria said gratefully. With a squad of reliable Paladins, no monster would dare come close to them!

"Call me Robina," Victoria said warmly. "That's my code name when I'm out and about. You can never get too careful these days."

Meanwhile, Brandon poked nervously at the meat. He tentatively took a bite; it tasted gamy and blistered his tongue. He frantically tried cooling it while danced around his mouth.

"So this letter says you wish to become a mage?" Victoria asked.

"Oh yes!" Aria exclaimed. "My grandmother was a mage and she said I had a real aptitude for magic!"

"That's quite interesting, how did she know?" Victoria questioned.

"Well, during one of Brandon and my fights," Aria started, "I accidentally set Brandon's shirt on fire."

"Yeah and it was my favorite shirt too!" Brandon said bitterly as he gnawed on the meat. He perked up when Victoria turned to him.

"And you wish to become a warrior?" Victoria said.

Brandon thought through his words carefully. "Yeah, but I'm actually aiming to become a Paladin myself!"

Julio from across the campfire choked on his drink. Another Paladin thumped his chest as he coughed, trying to get air. His eyes danced with laughter.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Brandon retorted as Julio recovered from his choking incident.

"HAHAhaha...it's just...you have a long way to go kid!" Julio smirked. The Paladins around him chortled as well. "In order to become a Paladin, you need to pass both the Warrior and Healer standardized examinations, which are no joke, and then serve in the King's army for a minimum of 3 years before setting off to wherever you wish."

"We've decided to continue our service to the Crown," Gederick added. "Some of our Paladin classmates went to protect other nobles and such."

Brandon went silent for the remainder of the night while digesting what he just learned. The night was filled with sounds of spoons scraping plates clean.

The Paladin to Victoria's right whispered, "Robina, I think it's time to rest. The kids look exhausted and we have a long way to go tomorrow."

"I think you're right, thank you," Robina said. With a louder voice she started commanding her Escort. "Alright Gederick I need you to extinguish the fire. Erm Philip, clean our plates and Salmaud, keep watch tonight. Choose whoever will relieve you at midnight. Oh yeah, Julio, see to that Brandon and Aria have a place to sleep."

"Yes Robina," they said in unison.

o0O0o

The twins seemed content as the Royal Escort accepted them into their group. They helped out with setting up camp while leaving the battling to the Paladins. So far, they've fended off a curious amount of Spiders and Wolves. They never did seem to stop coming and every kilometer was well fought for. One day, Victoria lifted a defeated Wolf's head with her bow and found a purple tentacle around its neck.

"What a strange mutation, what could've caused this?" Victoria exclaimed.

"Should we bring this specimen for the Loremasters to dissect?" Gederick suggested, though his expression revealed that he was not looking forward to dragging a dead wolf around.

"No, we'll inform the castle and they'll send people to check it out- now don't look that relieved or I'll change my mind!" Victoria threatened once she had seen Gederick's expression.

Julio had made it his personal mission to coach Aria and Brandon on the basics of being a Hero. They practiced with a spare sword and staff Victoria carried with her. Every evening, they would hold practice sessions and their fumbles would serve as light hearted entertainment for the rest of the camp.

"So is this how you hold the sword?" Brandon asked. Julio walked over and assessed Brandon's form. He nudged the boy's feet so that they were parallel to his shoulders.

"You need to keep a firm stance so the wind won't tip you over. When you swing, make sure you use the momentum from your body for a more powerful attack," Julio coached. He glanced over at Aria who copied her brother's position.

"Brandon, practice swinging at the tree over there," Julio ordered. "I'll check on you later. Aria, since you'll be using magic for combat, make sure you stand a bit farther from the monster."

She gave him a puzzled look, waiting for him to explain further. He continued thoughtfully, "Imagine that there's a line between you and the monster, let's say...2 metres. You must not let the monster get closer than 2 metres. Mages aren't as tanky as Warriors and you could get seriously injured. Of course, you could cast a shield spell, but why bother since you have the range to protect you?"

And so the group continued onwards from dawn to dusk while dreaming of a proper bed and a hot shower."When does the school term start again?" Julio asked Aria.

"The fourth of September!" Aria replied. Julio looked up at the sky and gauged the time.

"We'll get you two to Swordhaven before then. Perhaps maybe even a week ahead of time," Julio promised then added, "Well, as long as the darn spiders would stop attacking every few minutes."


	4. (4) Swordhaven

"Wow," Brandon said speechlessly. For the first time, Aria agreed with her twin. Swordhaven was beautiful. The bustling streets were refreshing to their eyes. All their life, they lived in the Marsh with modest means. In contrast, the city displayed wealth and prosperity beyond their wildest dreams. The architecture amazed them to no end from the homely houses to the towering castle in the distance.

The Royal Escort had arrived at the gates of the majestic city where guards came out to welcome Princess Victoria back home. They walked down the main street where the citizens of Good cheered and waved at their Princess. Their expressions were pure and genuine; they were truly Good. Victoria graciously smiled and waved back from the top of her stately horse. Aria admired the Princess's elegance and inwardly resolved to be more like her.

Victoria bent down from her horse and whispered something into Julio's ear; he nodded to show that he understood.

"Princess, bless you!" a middle-aged man shouted. Victoria winked at him as she passed. The man swooned and Aria knew his day was made a million times better.

"The people love you!" Brandon remarked. Victoria turned around, laughed and said, "Naturally, as I love them as well!"

So further along down the street they went, with more and more people jostling each other to get a look at their Princess. Aria was squished between her brother and Gederick as the Escort moved towards the castle gates. She stiffened when Brandon stepped on her foot; in retaliation, she elbowed him in the ribs. The twins were about to throw themselves at each other but were silenced by a stern look Gederick threw at them.

At last, they reached the castle. Aria ogled the massive and seemingly lifelike sculpture of a dragon in the front courtyard. Next to it were freshly trimmed hedges. Back home, vegetation grew free and wild so it was a peculiar sight. Gardeners were busy tending to the garden but they dropped their tools the moment they saw Victoria.

"Princess Victoria, you're back!" they exclaimed joyfully.

"So this is where we part," Victoria said to the twins while acknowledging the gardeners' greetings. She nodded to Julio and continued, "Julio will help you two get adjusted, see you!"

The twins enthusiastically waved goodbye as Victoria and the rest of her Escort entered the castle. Julio cleared his throat and got their attention. He gestured for them to follow him out of the castle grounds while nodding at the guards.

"So since you two have almost a week before school starts, you might as well use this time to explore the city," Julio explained. "Just be careful and don't get lost! Oh, and here's a map just in case." The twins looked overwhelmed.

"Where will we stay?" Aria asked while studying the map. The roads seemed linear enough, she was sure she could find her way around.

"Students usually stay at the Inn at the expense of the castle," Julio answered. "But expenses other than food and a bed will have to come out of your own pocket I'm afraid."

"Can we visit you at the castle?" Brandon queried.

"Well, I'm on guard duty all week, but you can visit me during the evenings! We can brush up on your shabby sword swing," Julio teased.

"It was not shabby! I'm working on it!" Brandon growled. He swung his fist at the Paladin but it never connected. Julio easily dodged and Brandon went sprawling to the ground. Laughing, Julio waved goodbye to the twins as he made his way back to the castle. He paused for a bit, as if he had forgotten something. Then, he shouted over his shoulder, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, make sure to get a weapon before school starts!"

Aria and Brandon watched as the Paladin disappeared back through the gates. Shadows casted by the buildings lazily grew longer as the sun set.

"A weapon eh?" Brandon pondered. "Do we have enough gold for a good one, sis?"

Aria checked their money bag. Their grandmother and mother had given them one thousand gold and she was very unwilling to spend it unnecessarily. Gold was hard to come by at the Marsh and Aria knew this was most of what her family could afford.

"Well, it's enough to replace the clothes we wrecked on the way here and that's about it," Aria sighed. "Perhaps we can get a job?"

Brandon yawned, "Yeah let's go job hunting in the morning, I'm beat."

o0O0o

The Inn was handsomely furnished albeit on the plain side. The twins had came in just after sunset. They explained to the gruff innkeeper that they were students and he gave them a set of keys to the top floor.

"A few students arrived, I put most of y'all on the top floor so don't you be making a ruckus!" he lectured. "Most of my guests are fast asleep and if anyone of you wake them up you'll have me to answer to!"

"Yikes," Brandon grimaced, "He's a cheerful guy ain't he?" Aria was too tired to reply.

The pair stumbled up the creaky steps and found their designated room. They shed their filthy clothing and fell towards the soft bed. After trekking all across Oakland, it was safe to say that their bodies were tired to the very core. They had seen more in two weeks than in their entire life; shocking for sure. With that, they promptly fell asleep as the moonlight illuminated their youthful faces. Dreamless slumber was blessed upon the soon-to-be heros, though their personal ambitions were far from dreamless.

o0O0o

"Aria! Look at these shoes!" Brandon exclaimed. "It says they're charmed to be monster repellent and slime-proof!"

"But doesn't that defeat the point of being a Hero?" Aria questioned. "You'll want to train against monsters to get stronger!"

Brandon studied the price tag and turned green. "Yeah...you're right haha," he said weakly. His attention was quickly grabbed by a set of glimmering armor.

"Ooooo! Mr. Salesperson, how much are these?" Brandon squealed and commenced his rapid fire bargaining with the vendor. Aria shook her head and pulled out five hundred gold from her pouch. She placed them firmly in Brandon's hand.

"Here's half of our gold, spend it here while I go find a job," Aria ordered. "And don't get ripped off!"

"Will do sis!" Brandon grinned as he pocketed the gold securely.

Aria walked down the main road while trying to look for "We're hiring!" signs. The busy main road made the task truly difficult. She sighed in frustration, her height disadvantaged her greatly as she couldn't see anything above the towering pedestrians. All she could see was the frankly unflattering armpit of the man in front of her. It was drenched in sweat, probably due to the blistering August heat.

Aria quickly meandered her way out of the crowd, and stumbling in the process. As she looked up, she found a quiet side road that emitted a mysterious atmosphere. She saw an old lady hobbling past her with a paper bag clutched in her hands. With a sudden impulse beyond Aria's control, she strolled down the lane.

Suddenly, an overpowering scent of flowers invaded Aria's nose. She sneezed and looked around for where the scent may have come from while walking at the same time. At last, Aria had arrived in front of a store with a prominent sign: "Swordhaven Apothecary, for all your potion needs!"

Aria didn't see any indication that they needed new workers but curiosity got the best of her. She heaved the wooden door open and was blasted by herbal and mysterious smells, but it was stronger this time. She saw a large glass counter with strange devices including a massive scale. She jumped when an old man came up from behind the counter.

"Erm, hello," Aria greeted the man. He was wearing a stained apron as well as peculiar pink leather gloves. He stared intently at Aria and she shifted under his gaze.

"Are you sick?" he asked suddenly.

"Me? No sir!" Aria squeaked. She found this man very intimidating even though he was half a foot shorter than herself.

"Then what potion do you need today?" he asked.

"Ah...I'm-" Aria started.

"Perhaps you need a lil' bit of luck?" he said as he brandished a yellow bottle labeled 'Lucky Potion.'

"No that's alright-"

"Ah! How about a health potion?"

"No-"

"Or perhaps even daresay...a love potion?" he offered while caressing a purple bottle. Aria pinkened but shook her head vigorously.

"No Mr..." she said.

"You can call me Herbert," the storekeeper said as he put the potion bottles back onto the glass display.

"Well Herbert," Aria gulped. "My name is Aria Charles, and I was wondering if you needed an extra pair of hands around here."

"Extra pair of hands? Meaning?" Herbert asked.

"Well, could I work at the Apothecary? I'm a student at the Swordhaven hero program but I don't have much gold," Aria stated.

Herbert hummed for a bit as he stroked his white beard. Aria stood awkwardly in front of the counter waiting for his answer. She looked around the shop and noticed the disorganization.

"I could help with cleaning, and I'll be willing to learn!" Aria urged.

"Say, where did you come from? Your accent doesn't sound from Swordhaven," Herbert asked suddenly.

"I'm from the Neverglades Marsh," Aria answered. She was perplexed by the seemingly random question. Herbert's expression was of shock.

"Aria...Charles...Could it be that you're related to Carol Charles?" Herbert exclaimed.

"Yeah! She's my grandmother!" Aria replied. "Wait, you know her?"

"Know her? She was my classmate from so many years ago," Herbert drifted off, obviously lost in his memories. His gruff demeanor vanished and was replaced by a warm old soul. Aria was surprised at the coincidence and wondered how her grandmother came to know such a man. Herbert paced behind the counter and seemed to come to a decision.

"Alright, young Aria, it's been a while since I took on an apprentice. The stockroom of this apothecary is a mess and I could use some help with sorting through it," Herbert said.

"Oh really? Thank you!" Aria cried with glee. "Thank you so much!"

"You'll start tomorrow and we can discuss your shifts when you find out your class schedule," Herbert continued. "Here, take this book. Give it a look over, will ya?"

Aria took the well worn book called "Potions for Dummies," and carefully placed it in her bag.

"Now off you go, it's getting dark." Herbert fretted.

Aria left the Swordhaven Apothecary, brimming with questions. Who was Herbert? Why didn't her grandmother mention this man when talking about her childhood? It was all very confusing, but Aria decided these questions could wait until tomorrow as her stomach growled in protest.

o0O0o

The young girl made her way back to the Inn just in time for dinner. She was getting used to the busy Swordhaven roads and found that her small size was preferable when slipping through the crowds. Like a minnow, unseen, she swam through the river of people.

As Aria entered the Inn, she saw Brandon chatting animatedly with two others at a corner table. Aria noticed a girl about the same age with dark red hair tied up in a long ponytail. The other stranger had jet black hair and was combed straight. Her twin, as if sensing her presence, turned around and gestured for her to join him.

"Aria over here! Hey guys, this is my twin who I was talking about," Brandon introduced. The girl and boy waved and held out their hands as a greeting.

"Brandon, already making friends I see?" Aria teased while taking their hands firmly. They were calloused but gentle.

"Well, Jun here," Brandon nodded to the black haired boy, "Saved me from buying an imitation sword!"

"It's not hard to tell the difference between a fake and the real thing," Jun laughed quietly. "My dad's a blacksmith so he taught me a few things."

Aria looked at Jun with new respect. His laidback poise was unimpressive at first, of course she was mislead. She thought that he reminded her of a garden snake; seemingly lazy but intriguing all the same.

"And this is Shauna," Brandon introduced. "She's staying in the room next to us!"

Shauna fiddled with her crimson hair absently and said, "You two don't look alike for twins."

Aria joked, "Thank god! I'd hate to look like this weirdo!"

Brandon casted a betrayed look at his new friends as they laughed at his expense. He got over it quickly as he knew they weren't laughing with ill intent. He waved over the Innkeeper and exclaimed to the group, "I'm starving! Let's order!"

Shauna, as Aria found out, was aloof at first, but quickly warmed to them. Aria discovered that she was a strong and brass girl hailing from the kingdom of Dwarfhold. When asked where Jun came from, he smiled and said Yokai Isle.

"Wow, the hero program attracts students from all over Lore!" Aria thought to herself.

The lively atmosphere held strong through the night as the Innkeeper struggled to keep up with never ending appetites. Aria could not remember the last time she laughed this hard as her throat became sore and cheeks cramped from smiling. Alas, the night came far too soon and her dinner partners retired to their respective rooms; but not before promising to meet again and continue with their budding friendship.


	5. (5) A Visit to the Castle

When morning came, Aria rose to the sounds of chirping birds and the melody of Brandon's snores. She looked out the window and saw early wanderers traversing down the street. She remembered her commitment to the potions master, Herbert, and quickly got ready. She brushed her teeth, got dressed, and put the potions book in her worn bag.

As Aria went down to the dining room, she spotted Shauna eating her breakfast alone. Her red hair was braided this morning which gave a docile aura in contrast to her brass personality revealed last night.

"Oi Aria!" Shauna greeted as she spotted Aria. "Come sit! The eggs here are great!"

Aria slid into the seat opposite to Shauna and peered at her plate. The breakfast menu did look great and she asked the innkeeper to get her what Shauna had.

"So, any errands to do today?" Shauna asked while munching on a slice of bread.

"Well, I got a job at the Swordhaven Apothecary so I'll be there for most of the day," Aria answered.

"Wow, a job already?" Shauna said surprised.

"Well, Brandon and I don't have much gold so we'll have to make do," Aria explained while reddening. Their financial situation was rather embarrassing and Aria was thankful when Shauna simply nodded and didn't press for more details.

The pair continued to eat as morning diners filled the Inn. Aria noticed that many customers had bejewelled swords strapped to their backs. They were the colour of black obsidian with red hilts. Was there an event happening nearby?

"Speaking of which, do you have a weapon yet?" Aria asked Shauna.

"Oh yeah, my dwarf friends crafted a sword for me," Shauna declared proudly. "It's in my room, you wanna see?"

"Maybe later!" Aria responded. She looked at the grandfather clock across the room and and was jolted out of her seat. "Oh no! It's almost ten! I gotta run, see you Shauna!"

Shauna waved goodbye as Aria dashed out of the Inn, chuckling as she accidentally bumped into the guests with black swords.

o0O0o

"The first rule you need to know," Herbert started. "is that you should never touch a herb without gloves on."

He handed a pair of leather gloves to Aria who hesitantly put them on.

"Plants have developed the most intricate defences, and you should never underestimate their power," the potion master continued. "Take this Pyroweed for instance."

He gingerly held a glowing leaf up, "It's a miraculous cure and can heal almost any burn."

Aria's eyes widened.

"But when touched, causes a severe scorching and a burn mark that lasts a week, quite ironic hm?"

Aria was careful to avoid the Pyroweed for the rest of her orientation.

o0O0o

"So uh, do we knock on the gates or what?" Brandon asked. The twins, Jun, and Shauna stared dubiously at the tall castle. The sun was settling into a warm, orange glow while the shadows were growing longer by the minute.

After Aria's orientation with Herbert, she walked back to the Inn and found Brandon showing off a sturdy sword to everybody in the main dining room. Due to Brandon's infectious enthusiasm, he had attracted a modest crowd. The sword was plain in design, but Aria saw its strength when Brandon lifted it for all to see.

"Jun here helped pick it out!" Brandon grinned, while not bothering to hide his pleased look. His onlookers murmured their approval.

This sword was now fastened on his hip as the party stood in front of the gates with no way of entering.

"I guess we could talk to the guards over there..." Jun suggested tentatively. The guards looked stern and not all friendly like Julio.

"Yeah...ladies first," Brandon said while giving his sister a little shove. Aria gave him an evil look and approached the more friendly looking guard, although it wasn't by much.

"Hi...er...Mr. Guard," Aria stammered. He peered at her through the slit in his helmet.

"We are Aria and Brandon Charles, Shauna from Dwarfhold, and Jun from Yokai. We're here to meet Sir Julio-"

The guard wordlessly opened the gate, to the astonishment of the Heroes. He waved them on albeit hurriedly.

"Did...he just let us in?" Brandon asked bewildered.

"So much for security..." Shauna shook her head as they hastily entered the castle grounds.

Once again, the twins found themselves mesmerized by the dragon sculpture that greeted them. The group looked around and found the courtyard empty except for themselves.

"Let's walk around until we find someone," Aria suggested and her companions nodded in agreement. They walked across the garden while admiring the gardeners' craftsmanship. The halls of the castle were immaculate and paintings of nobles were hung prominently. Aria felt a sudden rush of warmth as she found herself surrounded by her good friends. Shauna and Jun had decided to join the twins after learning they were going to visit the castle.

"I've always wanted to meet an older Hero," Jun mused. "Sir Julio was his name you said?"

"Yeah, he's the guy I told you about last night!" Brandon beamed.

On their way down the hall, they came across many servants scurrying around. After many futile attempts to grab their attention, Brandon impatiently pulled on the dress of a maid carrying a large stack of plates. She briskly told them the directions to the guard headquarters and dashed away, presumably to set the plates down. The party followed her instructions and found themselves in a long corridor.

"The maid said it was around here-" Aria started but was interrupted by Shauna.

"Quiet. I hear voices," she ordered as the others listened closely. Aria heard a low murmur coming from down the corridor and was surprised at Shauna's sharp hearing.

"So did the proceedings go as planned?" a gravely voice asked.

"Not at all, I should've expected King Atleon would give us an ultimatum," another voice rattled. "We'll return to the Inn and report back."

Aria and her friends looked at each other in fear as the footsteps came closer. Jun spied a door a few feet away and gestured for them to follow him. As they quickly passed through the door, Jun firmly closed the door with a few moments to spare. The voices trailed away as the party sighed in relief.

"What was that about?" Brandon exclaimed. He reopened the door, but found that the two figures had disappeared.

"I could ask you the same thing, young man!" a familiar voice called out. Aria and Brandon spun around in shock and found themselves staring right at Julio. He was sitting with a couple of guards who were all holding playing cards.

"W-we were uh two guys outside w-were-" Brandon sputtered and reddened as the guards laughed.

"I guess we found the guard room," Jun muttered as he shifted under the guards' curious gazes.

"Julio, you know these kids?" a guard chuckled.

"Yeah," Julio replied as he got up from the table. He casually slapped his cards face up on the counter and the guards gasped. Within the moment, the entire table erupted into protests and accusations that Julio had cheated.

Julio simply grinned and shouted, "Whoever loses the next round owes me their first born child!"

He then led the bewildered heroes out of the room. Aria saw that the two figures had disappeared from sight, much to her disappointment. Who were they? Why were they talking about King Alteon, the ruler of the Good Nation?

Julio's voice interrupted her thoughts. "So, are you gonna introduce me to your friends?"

"Oh I almost forgot!" Aria exclaimed sheepishly. "This is Shauna from Dwarfhold and Jun from Yokai. Erm guys, this is Julio, the guy we were telling you about."

"Nice to meet you," Shauna and Jun greeted politely. They glanced at each other and smirked. Brandon's farfetched stories portrayed Julio as mean grouch who beat him up with no mercy. Now, they could see the stories held no truth and wondered whether Brandon had consciously altered his tale for entertainment.

Julio waved for the four heroes to follow him. They did just that and left the rowdy guards as they organized a new card game. The door to the guard room silenced the rambunctious laughter and chatter and the slam echoed throughout the long castle hallways. The group stayed silent for the most part and perked up when Julio stopped in front of door.

"Welcome to the castle's armory!" Julio introduced as he jiggled a key into the lock and laughed as the heroes dashed forward, eager to see what treasures the armory held.


	6. (Update!)

Hi all, it's RapidReaderRachel!

It's been a while since I wrote the new chapter, would anybody even be interested in seeing this series continue?

I plan to continue the adventures of Aria and Brandon as they follow roughly the story arc that can be found in the main games, battling Chaos that is!

Let me know via review, thanks!


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